On January 12, Virginia Delegate John Avoli (R-Stanton) introduced a bill that would restrict the ability of transgender students and school board employees to use bathrooms and other facilities in public schools that are consistent with their gender identity.
House Bill 1126 would require “each school board to adopt policies to require each student and school board employee to have access to restrooms, locker rooms and other changing facilities in public school buildings that are shared only by members of the same biological sex; lodging accommodations during school-sponsored trips that are shared only by members of the same biological sex; and a single-user restroom, locker room, or other changing facility in a public school building, upon request, if the school can reasonably accommodate such a request.”
This bill follows the introduction of Senate Bill 20 last month by State Senator Travis Hackworth (R-Tazwwell) would eliminate the requirement that school districts must implement the Department of Education’s trans and non-binary student guidelines.
Democrats still hold a 21-19 majority in the Senate, and all have vowed to protect LGBTQ rights. Delegate Danica Roem, the first openly trans person elected to any state legislature in the country, said, “If Republicans try to do it in the House, we’ll kill it in the Senate. Long story short, if they were to pursue anti-LGBTQ legislation, it’s not going to make it to the Governor’s desk.”
Concerned voters can express their opposition to these bills to their senators and delegates via an online form sponsored by Equality Virginia.
